Company News

Amish Mashed Potato Soup

Sunday, February 12th, 2012

This one is perfect for a quick, hot winter meal. 

2 T. butter

1 lb. hamburger

1 med. onion

4 C. mashed potatoes

Plus- add milk to preferred consistency

Directions:

Sauté onions in butter and add hamburger, brown. Stir in potatoes until creamy and slowly add milk, stirring constantly. Cover and heat thoroughly. Add cheese if desired.




Amish Schoolhouses For Amish Youngsters

Monday, February 6th, 2012

Curious about how Amish children are educated? Well, you’re not alone. Customers often ask me, so I’m sharing a few things I’ve learned about Amish education.

 

In some states, Amish children attend regular, rural public schools, but that is not common. More often, Amish children attend one or two-room schoolhouses run by Amish parents. Local school boards of three to five fathers are responsible for overseeing the school, meaning hiring a teacher, approving a cu...




Perfect Shelf For A Pewter Collection

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

 

Amish Solid Oak Shelf

 

Hi Toby – We enjoy the custom shelf you made for us. My wife, Deb, is using it to display her pewter collection. 
...




Sheltons Love Their Solid Wood Amish-Made Hutch

Thursday, January 12th, 2012

Amish Furniture Factory Hutch


We are so happy with our hutch, the quality is superb.  We highly recommend your company to our friends and family. We will order again from your...




An Amish Thanksgiving Innovation

Sunday, November 20th, 2011

If you want try something new year,  serve the potatoes and turkey dressing baked together in one dish. This recipe serves six people, so you may need to double it for a larger group. Save room for pie! Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Amish Furniture Factory!

AMISH POTATO BREAD STUFFING

5 medium potatoes; cooked in their skins
1 cup whole milk
4 average slices whole-grain bread
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped fresh par...




Chisels, Planers and Augers

Sunday, November 13th, 2011

While there are many uses for power tools in Amish furniture-making shops, there are some hand tools that simply cannot be replaced. Three good examples of these hand tools are: chisels, planers and augers.

 

Chisels are used to chip away portions of wood, planers are used to smooth the surface of boards and augers are hand drills. It’s easy to see how each of these old-fashioned tools might come in handy for the more intricate, delicate aspects of furniture making, even th...




Tobin Talks Shop: Diesel Engine-Driven Power Tools

Monday, November 7th, 2011

 

In an earlier post I discussed the fact that the majority of Amish wood shops operate power equipment in order to produce their furniture pieces consistently and efficiently. Vintage hand tools are still used by some craftsmen, but the majority of shops primarily use electricity. Because 110 volt current running through wires in the walls or conduit pipe along the walls represents connection to the outside world, standard electrical wiring is not the norm. The Amish believe in keeping separate from influences of the outside world, and that...




Are All Amish Buggies Black?

Monday, October 31st, 2011

Amish horse and buggy rigs are a rather common sight all over the country. In southern Iowa, within 30 miles of our office, it's not uncommon to see Amish buggies driving along the shoulder of state highways as the regular traffic passes by. I must say that I thought all Amish buggies were completely black in color, as all the buggies I've personally seen looked black to me.


So I researched the topic and found out I was wrong. In other states ...




Amish Apple Crisp

Monday, October 24th, 2011

Everybody loves apple crisp, and lots of people are wanting more recipes, so here's a perfect one for the fall season.

AMISH APPLE CRISP

5 to 6 apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1/3 cup sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup butter, melted

TOPPING

1 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg, unbeaten

1/2 teaspoon cinn...




How The Amish Became Well-Known For Furniture Building

Monday, October 17th, 2011

Many years ago the timber industry employed men from the Amish community as loggers and equipment operators in sawmills. Although most of the timber was hardwood, meaning oak, walnut and hickory, some was evergreen softwood, the scraps of which were used to build pallets. Amish-owned businesses in the timber industry and pallet-making industry led naturally to a wide commercial opportunity for furniture making, since generations of Amish men were well-known as cabinet makers, furniture makers and casket makers in their own small, personal shops. Manufacturing the wooden parts of Amish buggi...